Reading Lately – February Book Review

Today I’m sharing what I’ve been reading lately for a February book review. So far 2023 is shaping up to be a really great reading year! I’ve definitely liked everything I’ve read so far which includes three five star reads! Three of the reads were psychological suspense and it’s been awhile since I’ve grabbed this genre but they were all so good.

I’m still loving the fact that I can reserve e-books through the Houston Public Library as a Texas resident and always have something loaded and ready. One negative, however, is a 14 day check out window which I cannot always meet. At some point I realized as long as I didn’t close the book it was still avaialble but my friend Tanya from The Other Side of the Road shared her secret of putting the kindle into airplane mode which will keep the book from being returned. This is especially helpful when several become available at one time! So just a little tip for you if you are an e-reader who uses the library.

Summary: Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date. But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

My review: While I loved It Ends With Us, this second book in the series didn’t grip me the same way. It was a decent read and dives back into the relationship between Lily and Atlas as teens but I just didn’t feel like I needed to go back to that as much as she did. I only gave this read three and 1/2 stars.

Summary: Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all―until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

My review: The only reason The Golden Couple did not get 5 stars is because I read two other books I loved even more. The characters were all well developed and there was enough reasonable doubt implied with each to leave you guessing. I love when I do not see the twist coming and I definitely did not with this read!

Summary: It’s 1997 in New York and three glamorous, successful women have made their mark on Manhattan. Now they struggle with the daily balancing act of career, family, friendship and romance.

Brooke and Elizabeth have been friends since grade school. One will question her marriage as she embarks on a new venture to Hollywood. The other will try to remake herself after a difficult diagnosis. Susan should be ecstatic when her husband Nick-a glittering media mogul-brings them the kind of financial security she never imagined. But her uncertainty about their relationship brings new passions and revelations neither saw coming.  

My review: I received an advanced copy of Friends with Issues and enjoyed the read. The characters were well developed and the story line was good but I felt it became a little rushed to get through to the ending. I only gave this read three and 1/2 stars.

Summary: Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

My review: Could not put The Silent Patient down! Definitely a five star read that was suspenseful with so many twists that I did not expect. For certain I did not see the end coming!

Summary: Sarah Morgan is a successful and powerful defense attorney in Washington D.C. As a named partner at her firm, life is going exactly how she planned. The same cannot be said for her husband, Adam. He’s a struggling writer who has had little success in his career and he tires of his and Sarah’s relationship as she is constantly working. 

Out in the secluded woods, at the couple’s lake house, Adam engages in a passionate affair with Kelly Summers. But one morning everything changes. Kelly is found brutally stabbed to death and now, Sarah must take on her hardest case yet, defending her own husband, a man accused of murdering his mistress. 

The Perfect Marriage is a juicy, twisty, and utterly addictive thriller that will keep you turning pages. You won’t see the ending coming . . . guaranteed!

My review: After I posted The Silent Patient on instagram, several of my followers recommended The Perfect Marriage and I’m so glad they did! Not only was this another page turner, it was also FREE with prime reading! While it was definitely a five star read for me with an ending that shocked the hell out of me, I didn’t necessarily love the way it ended. I just truly could NOT wrap my head around it but still so good!

If you are needing to make some changes to your habits or daily systems and are looking for a place to start, I cannot recommend this book more. For me, I had put some habits in place beginning in 2020 that I realized were no longer serving me and were, instead, causing me to feel unproductive and honestly a little scattered. I began reading Atomic Habits in 2022 but apparently wasn’t quite ready for it, but picked it up in January and gained so much applicable knowledge! Setting yourself up for success no matter how big or small a challenge might be can be frustrating but he really breaks the tools down in a way that are easy to understand and apply. Definitely a 5 star read for me and I love that he also has a website full of articles available. This book would make a great graduation gift too!

I’m currently listening to Spare on Audible after a 3 month free subscription found it’s way into my inbox! It’s really long but I have loved it so far. And I currently have The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post qued on my kindle. We will be heading for vacation in just a couple of weeks with a really long flight ahead of me. What do I need to add to list?

That’s a wrap for the February Book Review! You can find all of my previous book reviews here.